I DO Declare!
Jeremiah 31:33 “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
I DO Declare…
Ezekiel 36:26 Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh (does not mean worldly – means SOFT and PLIABLE with faith, hope, and love).
I DO Declare but first came a NEW heart and a NEW spirit! Thirty years ago! He has removed my heart of stone and given me a heart of flesh. God did what He said He would!
It’s me… I have not been paying attention to the work God has been doing in my life. I’ve been walking like NOTHING”S changed. I actually think and act (and sadly have been encouraged to think) as if God’s work in me has been more like “tweaking an almost there life” rather a full on HEART TRANSPLANT!
Even now, as Ezekiel slams it home, instead of intimately consulting with the Surgeon of all surgeons Who gave me His heart, I begin to imagine a heart that would be perfect for… ME. Maybe a heart like my first pastor (not sure he’s ready to give up his yet), maybe like my best friend’s heart (no, Barb I still need you HERE).
Maybe Peter’s heart… or Paul’s heart… or… Jacob’s… YES! You even changed his name (to Israel) as he received his new heart!
See what I have been doing? Though you’d think I would be past my Eve-like nature, I still, after 30 plus years, tend to look OUTSIDE to declare and put into practice God’s Word. It’s just easier! As I have gotten more and more able to discern what God has, is, and will continue to tell me, I have the OLD nature in my soul that wants to make it pretty on my eyes (lust of the eyes), make it desert, not vegetables for my taste buds (lust of the flesh), and strategically place His Word where I feel it will do the MOST GOOD for me but mostly for everyone else (pride of life).
For the last few weeks, I have been placed in transplant therapy, with, none other than the THERAPIST above all therapists. For the last few weeks, the Holy Spirit has sat me down, filled me with His desire, and brought out His flash cards of His Word – made flesh and DWELLS within me.
Flash Card: NEW HEART… whereas i thought my heart would be replaced… it is actually the heart of a NEWBORN.
John 1:12 But as many a received Him (Jesus), to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
This is the heart that “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it
Flash Card: God’s Word… written on my newborn heart…
John 1:1-4 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and life was the Light of men.
I DO Declare! God Himself, written on my heart!
“So, Ms Mary, you have been declaring this for a LLLLLOOOONNNGGG time. One might call me out with, “What’s changed – or better said, “What IS changing?”
Well…
Certainly, God has not changed – nor His Word – nor that He has been actively writing His Word upon my heart. (it is God who is at work in me, Philippians 2:13)
Therefore, I must conclude it is I that is changing! The Heart Therapy that has been going on since my new birth, has finally reached the eyes of my heart and has begun to show me the redesign (flesh) versus what it was BEFORE (stone).
I’m beginning to pay attention!
God has been faithfully writing His law upon my heart. I know that because if He wasn’t, I would NOT BE declaring His Word in any form or fashion.
What IS changing, and what I want to DECLARE today, is the Word made flesh and dwelling within me (John 1:14)
The Therapist above all therapist has given me what I believe are FLESH-MAKING FLASHCARDS, which I will label “I DO Declare!”. The Word of God has been spoken over me and by me for the last 30 plus years, but now God has added an intimacy that I will admit has laid dormant more times than not when I open Scripture.
God’s heart changing therapy for me (and possibly you, should you decide to join in therapy) is, at least for now, a 3 step action plan.
Step 1… The Holy Spirit takes from His Word (that is written on my heart) and “flashes” a Scripture He wishes to turn from just words (Mary’s view NOT Holy Spirit’s view)to intimate, Mary’s heart changing, Mary’s HEART MELTING truth declarations.
Step 2… I receive the Holy Spirit’s flashcards. I take my pen and paper, enter the throne room (it is the best play room EVER), and write the verse.
Step 3… Having written the verse, I read it over and over, noting the thoughts that enter my mind, and heart-strings that sing like harp strings played by angels, and my child-like spirit’s exclamation over the fireworks display as seen by the eyes of my heart!
I know God has already written His Word upon my heart, however, my visual of that has pretty much been of stone tablets, like Moses brought down from the mountain. Like Israel, I pretty much wanted to leave those stones in the hands of God’s chosen leader. LET Moses face God and speak with intimacy what obeying His Word will cost. Let the pastors try to tell me what God means and what I NEED to do in order to appease serve Him. Intimacy with God? Moses had to cover his face after being in God’s presence. I prefer to keep a my distance when He is writing His commands on my heart. Intimacy with ABBA? Of course! He is my Daddy! But when Daddy is laying down the law… I prefer to be outside playing!
I know… childish!
Thus the reason the Holy Spirit has brought His “I DO Declare” flashcards and His heart changing therapy into my life for a time such as this. God WILL NOT allow childishness to remain!
Mark 10:14-15 “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”
Childishness, NO! When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; (1 Corinthians 13:11)…“when I became an adult, I did away with childish things.
I DO Declare!, comes AFTER putting away childish things (even a 66-year-old needs to put away childish things).
If I am going to boldly blog using God’s Word, obviously I do and I’m going to, then I MUST become PERSONALLY INTIMATE with it. And so, my commitment to you and my covenant with the Holy Spirit is to remain in heart-changing, heart-melting therapy with the Holy Spirit and His “I DO Declare” flashcards.
Then, having softened my heart with the FRUIT of His Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23) I will (go out with joy And be led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before me, And all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Isaiah 55:12)
I DO Declare!
I DO mean I – in the power of The Therapist above all therapists – the Holy Spirit of God. I DO… How about YOU?
**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.